Senate shake-up: Alan leads new minority, panels revamped
The Senate has announced more committee chairmanships after its shake-up on Monday following the ouster of Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero as Senate President and the designation of Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to his old post by the new majority.
Meanwhile, the new minority chose Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as their leader.
At Tuesday’s plenary session, the new Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Sen. Loren Legarda will head three committees—national defense (where she replaces Sen. Jinggoy Estrada), accounts, and higher tech and vocational education (both formerly headed by Cayetano).
Risa as initial choice
Sen. JV Ejercito is the new chair of the public order and dangerous drugs committee, which used to be headed by Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa; and Sen. Raffy Tulfo now heads the labor committee, which used to be headed by Sen. Imee Marcos.
On Monday night, Sotto announced the designation of new Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson as head of the Senate blue ribbon committee, whose inquiry into the government’s flood control projects with private contractors had been headed by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta until Monday noon.
In an interview with ANC on Tuesday, Sotto said the blue ribbon committee had been offered to Sen. Risa Hontiveros, but she suggested that Lacson head that body instead.
No more vote
Sotto also said Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who is part of the new majority, will remain chair of the finance committee, which is handling the hearings on the proposed 2026 budget.
Zubiri said Hontiveros will now head the health committee, replacing Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go. Hontiveros and Ejercito were also named deputy majority leaders.
By Monday morning, Sotto had already taken up with Escudero the leadership change in the Senate, so there was no actual vote on his return as Senate leader during the afternoon plenary session.
In his remarks at the plenary, Sotto vowed to ensure the Senate’s independence as he did, he said, during Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency.
Apart from his key allies Lacson, Zubiri, Legarda and Hontiveros, Sotto had also secured the support of Ejercito, Gatchalian, Lito Lapid, Bam Aquino, Francis Pangilinan, Erwin and Raffy Tulfo, Camille and Mark Villar, and Pia Cayetano, Alan Peter’s sister.
The remaining eight senators were on Escudero’s side and now constituted the minority—Senators Go, Dela Rosa, Alan Peter, Estrada, Marcoleta, Marcos, Robin Padilla and Joel Villanueva.
‘Receipt-based’ inquiry
Escudero declined the role of minority leader and gave way to Cayetano, while Marcoleta and Villanueva were named deputy minority leaders.
Lacson, as the new blue ribbon panel chair, said he will conduct a “strict, no-nonsense and receipt-based” inquiry into the flood control projects.
“I will look for receipts. I will not rely on the say-so of others hook, line and sinker,” he said, adding that he does not rely on mere reports or testimonies even in his privilege speeches.
Lacson said this approach will apply, particularly to certain claims by private contractors Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, who in their testimony on Monday identified several lawmakers as interested parties in the lucrative projects.
He said he will take a close look at the documents indicating the amounts supposedly given to lawmakers and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Legislative agenda
Lacson said he does not see any conflict with the work of the independent commission to be formed by Malacañang, since his committee’s work is in aid of legislation. But he said he will furnish the commission with evidence gathered by his panel.
President Marcos on Tuesday expressed confidence that his administration’s legislative agenda will remain on track, no matter the Senate’s reorganization.
“If Senator Sotto is now the SP again, then I do not see that it will change very much … our agenda that we had agreed upon when Senator Chiz was SP,” the President told reporters in Phnom Penh as he capped his three-day state visit to Cambodia. —WITH REPORTS FROM MAILA AGER AND DEXTER CABALZA
